Central Karadeniz

Central Black Sea (Turkish: Orta Karadeniz) is a region in Black Sea Turkey, including the Amasya, Çorum, Ordu, Samsun, and Tokat provinces.

Cities

• 1 Samsun is the biggest resort on the Black Sea, with plenty to amuse the visitor.
• 2 Ünye is a beach resort and agricultural town.
• 3 Ordu is a smaller resort.
• 4 Amasya in the hills is the region's most attractive town, for its whitewashed Ottoman architecture.
• 5 Çorum is a modern provincial city.
• 6 Tokat has a collection of historical buildings.
• 7 Boğazkale is by Hattuşaş, once capital of the Hittite Empire.

Other destinations

• 1 Kızılırmak Delta Bird Reserve is a wetland nature reserve.

Get in

Samsun-Çarşamba (SZF ^IATA) and Ordu-Giresun (OGU  ^IATA) airports are both on the coast, with daily flights from Istanbul.

Ankara (ESB ^IATA) might be just as convenient for inland cities such as Çorum. It has hourly flights from Istanbul.

Istanbul is 600-700 km west so you'd only disembark there for a specific reason. The Asia-side airport SAW lies closer to Black Sea cities than the main airport IST.

As Samsun is the largest city, roads and bus routes through the mountains converge there. (Actually it's the other way round, as the feasibility of those routes meant Samsun outgrew other ports.) Driving from Istanbul follow E80, and from Ankara follow E88 onto D785; the routes join near Havsa. Buses from Istanbul run every two hours to Samsun, taking 13 hours, and one a day continues to Trabzon then Batumi and Tbilisi in Georgia.

A ponderous train lumbers daily from Sivas via Amasya and Havza to Samsun, taking 8 hours. Sivas has high-speed trains from Ankara and slow trains east to Kars, Diyarbakır and Tatvan.

Ferries no longer ply the Black Sea coast, though the ports still ship freight.

Get around

Old town houses in Amasya

The towns sprawl, although their old centres with the majority of sights may be compact and walkable. Dolmuşes serve the main boulevards and the bus stations, which are often several km from downtown.

You need wheels for out-of-town sights such as Kızılırmak Delta Bird Reserve, and to move between towns not on the radial routes to Samsun. Car hire is best arranged at your arrival airport.

See

• Ottoman architecture, with half-timbered houses with protruding upper stories, is best preserved in Amasya.
• Samsun has the most heritage from the early days of the Republic. This was where Atatürk launched the fightback that repulsed Greek invasion and led to independence.
• Ancient sites: Hattuşaş at the edge of Boğazkale is the most extensive. Tokat has an old castle perched on a crag.

Do

• Beaches: Samsun, Ünye and Ordu all have sandy beaches.
• Hamams - traditional Turkish baths - are found in most towns.
• Football: Samsun are the only top-tier soccer team. Other town teams play in lower / amateur tiers.

Eat

Lots and lots of cafes but no stand-out restaurants. The hotels may offer the best dining.

And not much choice of cuisine either, as this region has never attracted international immigration or tourists.

Drink

Tap water is safe to drink but may be highly chlorinated, so you might prefer bottled.

Not many free-standing bars, but many eating places serve alcohol.

Stay safe

Beware traffic, safeguard valuables and swerve clear of low-life, same as anywhere else.

The Black Sea is not tidal but in places has long-shore currents, seek local advice. The main beach hazards are trash such as broken glass, and idiots revving on jet skis.

Go next

• Western Karadeniz is less developed. The highlight is the old town of Amasra.
• Eastern Karadeniz is more rugged and remote and even less visited. Trabzon is the main city.
• Ankara to the south is the must-see Turkish capital.